Assigkoe of one-half



(No Model.)

J. M. BASINGER.

BUCKLE. v

No. 321,176; PatentedJune 30, 1885.

(WWW 155m N. PlTERS. mwmm m. Wahinglan. 0.6.

Y NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES M. BASINGER, OF BUFFALO, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO PRATT8t LETOHWVORTH, OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,175, dated June 30,1885.

Application filed February 27, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. BASINGER, of the city of Buffalo, in thecounty of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of buckles whichare composed of an open frame and a tongue hinged to and extendingacross the frame. iVhen buckles of this class are employed for securingharness-straps, the tail of the horse will frequently become entangledor caught on the end of the tongue, or between the end of thebuckle-frame and the strap.

The object of my invention is to remedy this difficulty by soconstructing the buckle that the tongue is covered and the buckleframeheld closely against the strap, thereby avoiding projecting parts.

My invention consists, to that end, of the improvements which will behereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinal sectionof a buckle provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation,and Fig. 3 a front elevation, thereof. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, withthe movable guard thrown back away from the tongue.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the frame of the buckle, composed of two side bars, a,connected by the end ba'rs,a a". 1

B represents the tongue of the buckle, hinged to the end bar a, andextending across the frame, with its free end resting upon the oppositeend bar, o

G is the strap, which is sewed or otherwise secured to the end bar a ofthe buckleframe.

D represents a movable plate or guard pivoted to the front end bar, c ofthe buckle frame, and adapted to be closed down upon the tongue andcover the latter. The guard D is provided with ears or lugs (Z d, whichare clasped or bent around the front end bar, a-', of the buckle-frameon opposite sides of the tongue. The portion of the guard D above theforward end of the tongue is raised sufficiently to allow the end of thetongue to rest upon the bar a of the buckle-frame. The guard D extendsover the buckle-frame and tongue, and is provided with an opening orloop, 6, through which the billet or end of the strap is inserted,whereby the guard is held down upon the tongue.

f represents a cross-bar arranged in front the bar a of the buckle, andslightly below the same, and connected to the buckle-frame by short sidebars, j", which form a continuation of the side bars of the buckleframe.The crossbar f and side bars, f form a loop, through which the end ofthe strap is inserted before being passed through the buckleframe andengaged with the tongue.

By means of the loop 9 the front bar of the buckle-frame is held againstthe strap, thus preventing the tail of a horse or other passing objectfrom catching between these parts, and the tongue is protected by theguard D, which is held in place over the tongue by the billet of thestrap.

The guard D can be readily constructed of malleable iron; or, ifdesired, it can be formed of sheet metal or other suitable material, andcan be applied to any ordinary hinged tongue buckle at very littleexpense.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with thebuckle-frameprovided with a hinged tongue resting with its free end upon one of thecross-bars of the buckle-frame. of a movable guard hinged to thebuckle-frame and adapted to be closed down upon the tongue and cover thefree end of the same, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a buckle, of a movable guard adapted to beclosed down upon the tongue and provided with a loop or opening toreceive the billet, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a buckle-frame having a hinged tongueresting'with its free end upon the front cross-bar,a",of the buckle- 95frame, of the loop 9, arranged on the forward end of the buckle-framebelow said crossbar a whereby the buckle-frame is held against the strapand the tongue against the front cross-bar of thebuckle-frame,,substantially as IOO set forth.

\Vitnoss my hand this 10th day of January, 1885.

JAMES M. BASIN GER.

Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, G. F. GEYER.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 321,175, granted June30, 1885, upon the application of James M. Basinger, of Buffalo, NewYork, for an improvement in Buckles, it erroneously appears that Pratt &Letchworth were assignees of one-half interest in said invention,whereas they were assignees 0f one-fourth interest only; that saidLetters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 29th day of September, A. D.1885.

[SEAL.] H. L. MULDROW,

Acting Secretary of the Interior. Gountersigned:

M. V. MONTGOMERY,

Commissioner of Patents.

